Girls' Secondary Education In Uganda: Assessing Policy Within The Women's Empowerment Framework,
2011
Aga Khan University
Girls' Secondary Education In Uganda: Assessing Policy Within The Women's Empowerment Framework, Shelley Jones
Institute for Educational Development, East Africa
This paper makes the case that policies, such as the National Strategy for Girls' Education in Uganda (NSGE), intended to achieve gender equity in education for girls in developing countries, have limited relevance to, and impact on girls' actual educational experiences. Recent considerations of girls' education acknowledge that gender equity within education is more than access to schooling; it entails the cultivation of capabilities necessary for girls to participate fully, actively and equally in all aspects of their societies. Drawing on a longitudinal, ethnographic policy research case study with 15 Ugandan schoolgirls in rural Masaka District, Uganda, from August 2004 …
The Effectiveness Of Response To Intervention To Improve High School Students' Reading Skills,
2011
Walden University
The Effectiveness Of Response To Intervention To Improve High School Students' Reading Skills, Ann-Marie Popwell
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
High School students in a local school district were having reading-related difficulties in certain subject areas and were at risk of failing high school courses. Success in reading is important because students must read the content within the End of Course Test in core content subjects, and their success on this test determines their eligibility for high school graduation. The purpose of the study was to examine the effectiveness of a Response to Intervention (RTI) reading class designed to improve reading skills for at-risk high school students. The constructivist learning theory was the theoretical framework for this study. The research …
Authentic Instruction And Achievement Of Fifth Grade Charter School Students,
2011
Walden University
Authentic Instruction And Achievement Of Fifth Grade Charter School Students, Novea Mcintosh
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Students' performance on standardized tests continues to dominate the discourse in the educational arena as it reflects student growth and teacher performance. The low performance index scores of 5th grade students at 2 elementary charter schools in urban southwestern Ohio has been a major concern of the school district. Guided by social constructivism, the purpose of this research study was to identify curricular practices that influence student academic achievement. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 4 reading teachers and 2 administrators; curriculum maps, tests scores, and lesson plan documents were also reviewed. Interview, test score, and lesson plan documents were analyzed …
Grading And Reporting Purposes And Practices In Catholic Secondary Schools And Grades' Efficacy In Accurately Communicating Student Learning,
2011
University of San Francisco
Grading And Reporting Purposes And Practices In Catholic Secondary Schools And Grades' Efficacy In Accurately Communicating Student Learning, Peter Imperial
Doctoral Dissertations
Few aspects of school are as controversial as the practice of grading, for grades affect students' educational opportunities. The purpose of this study was to identify the practices Catholic high-school teachers employed in determining students' grades. The study investigated the extent to which academic achievement comprised the grades teachers reported, and the extent to which teachers' practices are consistent with their expressed purposes for grading. The study also explored the extent to which Catholic teachers' grading practices are consistent with their schools' purpose for grading. Using random sampling, 486 Catholic secondary school teachers and 50 administrators from 33 high schools …
The Nature And Impact Of Cyberbullying On The Middle School Student,
2011
Walden University
The Nature And Impact Of Cyberbullying On The Middle School Student, Jacqueline K. Pilkey
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Cyberbullying is harassment through the Internet or other technologies. Forty-two percent of youth nationally have experienced cyberbullying and 53% admitted to being the cyberbully. A lack of understanding by adults of cyberbullying logistics and impact causes cyberbullying to remain a serious issue that has not yet been appropriately addressed within schools. A sequential, mixed methods study was implemented to investigate the prevalence of cyberbullying in one middle school and to determine the nature and impact of the experience in order to inform site-based interventions. Bandura's social learning theory, Bronfenbrenner's ecological framework, and Agnew's strain theory provided this investigation's theoretical foundation. …
Effectively Using Presentation Technology In The History Classroom,
2011
Walden University
Effectively Using Presentation Technology In The History Classroom, Scott Louis Johnson
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
In spite of increased use of technology in the history classroom, the impact of technology remains low on student retention and comprehension of historical information. This project study examined the manner in which PowerPoint slides in history classes are formatted and the elements they contain for effective use. The literature related to best methods was reviewed to reveal practices that lead to the highest levels of comprehension and retention and how those practices could be implemented in PowerPoint presentations. This grounded theory study in the field of cognition and instruction centered on a high school that successfully implements technology in …
The Impact Of Differentiated Versus Traditional Instruction On Math Achievement And Student Attitudes,
2011
Walden University
The Impact Of Differentiated Versus Traditional Instruction On Math Achievement And Student Attitudes, Valerie D. Gamble
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
With the implementation of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB), all schools are held accountable for student achievement. One southern US Title I school failed to meet NCLB mandated math standards for several years and was placed on program improvement. The purpose of this study was to compare math achievement of 34 students in fifth grade using differentiated instruction via Math out of the Box (MOOTB) and math achievement of 34 students in fifth grade using traditional textbook instruction. A second purpose was to determine if there was a difference between student attitudes toward math relative to confidence, value, enjoyment, …
A Psychological Investigation Of The Expressed Attitudes Of Middle School Aged Adolescents Toward School Bullying,
2011
Walden University
A Psychological Investigation Of The Expressed Attitudes Of Middle School Aged Adolescents Toward School Bullying, Jodi Marie Daly
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
International research on bullying suggests that bullying is pervasive in schools and the workplace. Most researchers concur that bullying behavior is a disruptive factor to the social and educational well-being of students. Previous research, grounded in social and family systems theory, has indicated those who bully tend to be involved in self-destructive and delinquent behaviors. Additionally, in the only-large scale study on bullying behaviors, 29% of the 10th-grade student body admitted to being bullied that school year. Further, in a new study conducted by the Josephson Institute of Ethics, half of all high school students reported that they have bullied …
A Case Study Of Differentiated Instruction In Upper Elementary Mathematics And Reading Classrooms,
2011
Walden University
A Case Study Of Differentiated Instruction In Upper Elementary Mathematics And Reading Classrooms, Laponya Alexandria Burris
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Elementary students in one school have shown a decline in proficient and advanced performance on statewide assessments. This decline increased for reading and mathematics achievement from 2003--2008, especially for disabled and minority students in grades 3--5. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to determine the extent to which differentiated instruction was implemented in instructional practices to increase student academic performance. Vygotsky's theory of constructivism, Bruner's theory of problem solving, and Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences provided the conceptual frameworks for this study. The research questions focused on the instructional strategies and resources used by teachers. Data included interviews, …
Activating Prior Knowledge With Cues And Questions As A Key Instructional Strategy To Increase Student Achievement In Low Socioeconomic Middle Schools,
2011
Walden University
Activating Prior Knowledge With Cues And Questions As A Key Instructional Strategy To Increase Student Achievement In Low Socioeconomic Middle Schools, Michael Glenn Cason
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act created new accountability for educational institutions where schools must demonstrate adequate yearly progress (AYP) by regularly increasing student achievement. Many school districts across the nation failed AYP, searched for effective teaching strategies, and used new instructional models to help, yet they continued to fail. Thousands of educational institutions turned to the learning-focused schools (LFS) model of instruction, but increases in student achievement were sporadic. The rationale for this project stemmed from inconsistent student achievement results at a local middle school while using LFS from the inception of NCLB. This project study reviewed the …
Early Childhood Educators Teaching And Learning In Professional Learning Communities: A New Approach To Professional Development For Preschool Teachers In A Southern California School District,
2011
Walden University
Early Childhood Educators Teaching And Learning In Professional Learning Communities: A New Approach To Professional Development For Preschool Teachers In A Southern California School District, Robin Fairfield
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Early childhood education teachers have been challenged with the demands for accountability in literacy and English language development, as well as kindergarten readiness skills of preschool children. Researchers have studied professional learning communities (PLCs) as a framework for professional development and student achievement. However, few have studied the effects of PLCs in preschool. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore how PLCs support preschool teachers in Head Start and other preschool programs. The research questions involved understanding teaching and learning opportunities for early childhood education (ECE) that can produce positive child outcomes. Using social constructivist assumptions, data …
Examining Students' Reflections On Literacy Activities Focused On Poetry Reading And Writing,
2011
Walden University
Examining Students' Reflections On Literacy Activities Focused On Poetry Reading And Writing, Celeste Long
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Motivation, which is based on experience, is crucial in promoting literacy acquisition; however, little research has explored what children experience during literacy activities such as poetry reading and writing. This phenomenological study explored what elementary students experienced during literacy activities focused on poetry. Educational reform inspired by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 is based on a narrow range of quantitative research and does not consider the multifaceted nature of literacy and the experiences of the learner. Bruner's psychocultural theory and the belief that an individual's experiences are the core of existence were the philosophical and theoretical frameworks …
Teacher Preferences For Professional Development Delivery Models And Delivery Model Influence On Teacher Behavior In The Classroom,
2011
Walden University
Teacher Preferences For Professional Development Delivery Models And Delivery Model Influence On Teacher Behavior In The Classroom, Eve R. Sauer
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Current trends and research in education indicated that teacher learning is a crucial link to student achievement. There is a void in the research regarding teacher preferences for delivery models in professional development Determining teacher preferences is an important component in professional development planning and the driving inquiry for this research. The purpose of this exploratory case study was to determine teacher preferences in delivery models for professional development and whether delivery models influenced teacher behaviors in the classroom. The primary theory for this study was based on andragogy, and the research was conducted under the conceptual framework of constructivist …
A Phenomenological Approach To Examining Perceptions Of Middle School Students And Their Educators About Their Service-Learning Experiences,
2011
Walden University
A Phenomenological Approach To Examining Perceptions Of Middle School Students And Their Educators About Their Service-Learning Experiences, Mccafferty, Anita J. Stewart Mccafferty
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
A primary purpose of public education is to ensure that all citizens have the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to participate in a democracy. Service learning is a democratic, constructivist, instructional strategy that connects academic learning with community needs. This phenomenological study described: (a) how youth, their educators, and community partners who experience service learning perceive its effects on themselves, their schools, and their community lives and (b) how professional-development opportunities need to be structured in order to encourage high quality civics education instruction. The problem this study addressed was how to solve youth civic and political disengagement. This study relied …
Barriers And Supports To Implementation Of Principal Leadership For School Change,
2011
Walden University
Barriers And Supports To Implementation Of Principal Leadership For School Change, Jodi M. Delucia
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Practices for supporting school change have not been implemented consistently in K-12 schools in the United States. Researchers have not studied the needs of K-12 principals who fail to implement these practices, and barriers or supports to implementation have not been identified. The purpose of this sequential explanatory mixed methodology study was to understand K-12 principals' perceptions of the supports and barriers related to their abilities to implement the practices of challenging the process, inspiring a shared vision, enabling others to act, modeling the way, and encouraging the heart. Seven public school principals and 29 teachers in their schools completed …
Middle School Mathematics Students' Perspectives On The Study Of Mathematics,
2011
Walden University
Middle School Mathematics Students' Perspectives On The Study Of Mathematics, Christy H. Vaughn
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
This qualitative study addressed the perceptions toward the study of mathematics by middle school students who had formerly been in a remedial mathematics program. The purpose of the study was to explore the past experiences of nine students in order to determine what is needed for them to feel successful in mathematics. The conceptual framework of the study was grounded in philosophies of motivation, including achievement goal theory, self-worth theory, self-efficacy theory, expectancy-value theory, and attribution theory. The study used a phenomenological research design to answer the key research question, which focused upon the experiences of students and the meaning …
Examining The Impact Of Teacher Perceptions Of Barriers Of Parental Involvement,
2011
Walden University
Examining The Impact Of Teacher Perceptions Of Barriers Of Parental Involvement, Frankie V. Johnson
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
One school in a Western United States was recently rated academically unacceptable by the state. That same school had an inactive Parent as Teachers organization, and teachers expressed concerns regarding low parental involvement. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine the impact of teacher perceptions of barriers to parental involvement. Epstein's model of parental involvement was the theoretical framework for this study. The research questions focused on identifying perceived parental involvement barriers from the perspective of teachers and suggesting viable solutions to address these perceived barriers. This case study involved interviewing 8 elementary school teachers. Data analysis …
A Quantitative Assessment Of Skills And Competencies In Graduates Of At-Risk High Schools,
2011
Walden University
A Quantitative Assessment Of Skills And Competencies In Graduates Of At-Risk High Schools, Charles Jerry Williams Jr.
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
The willingness to work and a high school diploma were once all that was needed to start one's career. The problem is that on the twentieth anniversary of the reports by the Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS), high school graduates may still lack what business and education leaders require for success in entry-level employment or post-secondary studies. The research question included understanding how prepared graduates from at-risk high schools are for post-secondary work or study. The study used a Likert-scaled survey to assess participant work readiness in 36 skill or competency areas. The sample consisted of recent graduates …
Middle School Teachers' Perceptions Of Barriers Of Managing Student Behavior,
2011
Walden University
Middle School Teachers' Perceptions Of Barriers Of Managing Student Behavior, Winifred Nicole Whitlock
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Despite training and support, many middle school teachers struggle to create, implement, and enforce research-based strategies to manage students' behaviors. The purpose of this case study was to examine teachers' perceptions about the barriers of managing student behavior. The research questions investigated 9 teachers' perceived barriers of managing student behavior at one middle school and the observed actions of these teachers' reactions to student behavior. Each participant was asked to participate in a 45-minute semistructured interview to examine their perceived barriers of managing student behavior and the strategies they use to manage student behavior relative to McGregor's theories X and …
Latino English Language Learners In Middle School And The Effect Of General Education Teachers' Use Of The Lesson Study Collaborative Model,
2011
Walden University
Latino English Language Learners In Middle School And The Effect Of General Education Teachers' Use Of The Lesson Study Collaborative Model, Chauncey Dante Reese
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
General education content teachers in an urban middle school are responsible for the academic performance of Latino English language learners (ELLs) but lack specialized training in language acquisition. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to investigate content teachers' use of the lesson study collaborative model in teaching Latino ELLs. The theoretical framework of cooperative learning and the lesson study planning model guided this study. The research questions addressed the specific English as a second language (ESL) conversations and planning that occurred in interdisciplinary team meetings and lesson study implementation in teaching practice and student performance. Typological analysis of …
